Radio aerial



RADIO AERIAL Filed Sept. 29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l /8 //VJUL IT/ON i//VJULfi T/0/V l9 2 J Q 9 l l [U1 i I J INVENTOR. 22 STE-M ll. HE TLEEATTORNEYS.

Oct. 10, 1933. s. c. HAYNES RADIO AERIAL Filed Sept. 29. 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3.

FIG. 4.

BITE-112 ll. BY {1 able structure.

Patented Oct. 10, 1933 RADIO AERIAL Stanley Charles Haynes, Wilmington,Calif., ail-- signor, by mesne assignments, to Lapp Insulator Company,Inc., Le Roy, N. Y., a corporation ol New York Application September 29,1930 Serial No. 485,197

20 Claims.

The present invention relates to radio and the primary object of theinvention is to provide an improved radio aerial or tower.

A further object of the invention is to provide a radio antenna capableof being rigidly mounted upon various types of roofs without the use orunsightly uy wires and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an'irnproved aerialdevice in the form of a tower and wherein the entire super structureforms a part of the effective antenna.

A further object of the invention resides in the novel manner ofmounting the device to prevent grounding.

Other objects and advantages of the inven tion will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with the accom=panying drawings forming a part of this specification and in whichdrawings:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of the improved aerial and showingportions in section for illustrating details of construction.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is an enlarged frentary detail section thru one of the comeruprights.

Figure l is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Figure l.

Referring to the drawings in detail and wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views, theimproved aerial or antenna device has been shown in the form of askeleton like tower adapted for mounting upon a house top or other suit-It is to be understood however, that the device may be constructed invarious styles and may be of such miniature size to serve as an insideaerial. By way of example, the aerial when constructed for outside usemay have a height of about four feet and a base dimension of abouteighteen inches, altho these dimensions may be materially varied to suitthe requirements oi the apparatus.

The aerial is of open construction and coinprises the four upwardlyconverging extensible corner standards or legs 5 which are constructedof a conducting metal, preferably copper. The

standards 5 are of built up construction and each includes a pair oftelescopically related in ner and outer tubular sections 6 and *4respectively which may be formed from copper tubing. The lower end ofeach inner tubular sec' tion 6 is flared into conical formation toprovide a drip skirt 8 at the lower'extremity pfeach section. Threadedthru the lower end portion of each outer tubular section 7 is a thumbscrew 9, the inner ends of which are adapted to engage against the innertubular sections 6 for retaining the inner sections in longitudinallyadjusted positions within the outer sections. 80

Each of the corner standards or legs 5 also embodies an angle shapedcover or finishing strip 10 of a length equal to the length of the outertubular sections 7 and these angle strips 10 may be formed from copperstrips of a suitable gage. Connecting the corner standards 5 at suitablyspaced points therealong are horizontal braces, cross members, or girts11 which are preferably formed from copper strips. The corner standards5 are also connected by diagonal braces 12 which extend in crossedrelation between the horizontal braces 11. Referring particularly toFigure 3, the ends of the braces ll and 12 are arranged in overlyingrelation and are secured together and also to the surfaces of the outertubular sections 7 by suitable means such, for example, as soldering asshown at 14. This soldering of the braces to the tubular sections is toprovide a good electrical connection between all of the elements actingas electrical conductors. The lowermost b0 horizontal brace ll'connectsthe lower ends of the outer tubular sections 7, and the uppermosthorizontal brace is spaced below the top ends of the standards adistance substantially equal to the vertical spacing between the braces11.

The upper ends of the standards 5 are connected by a metallic cap piece15 preferably formed with a fiat, square-shaped body portion having adownturned marginal flange 16 providing substantially right angularcorners to): receiving the upper ends of the standards. The upper endsor the angle shaped cover strips 10 have a snug fit in the cap piece 15,which may either be formed of copper or nickel, and may or may not besoldered to the cap.

The tower structure is carried by insulating foot pieces or insulatorsupports 18 that rest 2 upon foundations or pads 19 so as tohavefreedom'oi movement thereon to avoid loading 0! foot pieces or supportinsulators 18 in tension in case the antenna structure tends to sway ortilt. These foot pieces 18 are interposed between the lower ends of thecorner standards 5 and the foundations or pads 19. as illustrated, thesefoot pieces are slidably fitted into the lower open ends m5 of tubularsections 6.

Since the tower structure is mounted on insulators or insulator supports18 in the er above described, there is but a single'capacitativeimpedance path to ground at each point 01 support. In the structureillustrated, the points of support are at the corners of the base of theantenna structure.

The foot pieces 18 may be in the form of cylindricalglass rodsinsertable into the tubular sections 6 into engagement with pins 20acting as stops. The drip shields 8 aside from preventing grounding ofthe superstructure also permit ready insertion of the insulating feetinto the tubular sections 6. When the device is intended for portableindoor use, the structure may be mounted upon a suitable base 22 and inthe example illustrated the base is in the form of a cross with the fourinsulating foot pieces -18'resting upon the ends of the arms thereof.

The corner standards 5 are also connected by suitable stay bolts 23which are made of brass and serve as strengthening means for the copperbrace strips 11 and 12.

Secured to and depending from the axial center of the cap piece 15 is ametallic eye bolt 24 into the eye at the lower end of which is hookedthe upper end of a combined tensioning and anchoring rod 25 which ispreferably formed of copper and of such length as to have its lower endextend nearly to the lowermost horizontal brace 11. Attached in anysuitable manner to the lower end of the tensioning rod 25 is a straininsulator 26 to the eye at the lower end of which is attached one end ofa turnbuckle 27. The strain insulator may be made of any suitableinsulating material and with a receiving antenna I contemplate employinghard rubber as the insulating material. The lower end of the turnbuckle27 is may be attached.

attached to an anchoring member 28 which in the example shown is in theform of a U bolt secured to the axial portion of the base 22. Thus itwill be seen that tightening of the turnbuckle 2'! will draw thestandards 5 into firm contact with the supporting base 22.

The tensioning and anchoring rod 25, the strain insulator 26, theturnbuckle 27 and the anchoring member 28 thus constitute a hold downdevice or hold down means for the antenna tower or structure.

The antenna structure therefore embodies a multi-sided vertical mast ortower provided with insulator supports or feet which are located underthe corners or standards of the tower. This tower is held in verticalposition by means of a hold down or anchor means, that is insulated toprevent grounding of the tower, and which forms with the corners or legsof the tower a substantially vertically acting couple that resistsoverturning of the tower.

Provided at the lower end of the tensioning rod 25 is a copper dripshield 30 of conical shape which extends about the insulator 26 forpreventing water from grounding the lower end of the tensioning rod.Carried by the rod 25, in slightly spaced relation above the drip shield30 is a binding post 32 to which a lead-in wire as shown at 33 The towerstructure is further strengthened by means of a pair of brace wires 34having their medial portions trained in right angular relation thruapertures in the shank portion of the eye bolt 24 and having their endsattached as by binding screws 35 to the central portions of thelowermost horizontal braces 11.

The angle shaped cover strips 10 may be secured as by soldering at 36(Figure 3) to the ends of the horizontal braces 11 and these stripsaside from forming additional collector surfaces, serve to present afinished appearance to the corner standards by covering the solderedconnections of the brace strips 11 and 12 to the outer tubular sections7.

The device may be erected in a vertical position upon various types ofroofs such as gable and flat roofs thru the mere adjustment of thetelescopic sections 6 and '7 to suit the angles or pitches of theparticular type of roof upon which it is desired to mount the aerial.When mounted upon a roof, the base 22 is of course not required and thesingle anchoring member 28 is rigidly secured to the roof structure.

From the foregoing it will readily be apparent that an improved aerialdevice has been disclosed which is extremely neat in appearance and maybe readily and easily mounted without the requiring of unsightly guywires and the like for bracing purposes. It will also be apparent that astructure as disclosed will permit rigid mounting of the device by meansof a single anchoring member. It will also be observed that the entiresuperstructure serves as a conductor for the radio waves.

Changes in detail may be made to the form of invention herein shown anddescribed, without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A radio aerial comprising a frame structure embodying cornerstandards, brace members connecting the corner standards, an insulatingfoot for each standard, a tensioning rod connected at its upper end tothe upper ends of the corner standards and extending axially of thestandards, tensioning means insulatively connected to the lower end ofthe rod, and an anchoring member connected to the tensioning means forattachment to a supporting structure axially of the frame.

2. A radio aerial comprising a metallic frame including corner standardseach embodying telescopic inner and outer sections and a cornerfinishing strip, adjustment retention means for the sections, bracestrips connecting the outer sections and having their ends concealed bythe finishing strips, a foot for each standard, a rod having connectionat its upper end to the standards and depending axially between thestandards, and means for insulatively connecting the lower end of therod to a mounting structure axially of the standards.

3. In a radio aerial of the class described, corner standards eachembodying telescopic inner and outer sections, a flared .drip shield atthe lower end of each inner section, an insulating leg secured in thelower end of each inner section, adjustment retention means for thetelescopic sections, brace strips connecting the outer sections of eachstandard, a cover strip for the ends of the brace strips, a capconnecting the upper ends of the standards, a tensioning rod dependingaxially fromthe cap, and adjustable anchoring means connecting the lowerend of the tensioning rod axially of the standards.

4. In a radio aerial of the class described, an open frame structureembodying corner standards, a cap piece connecting the upper ends of thestandards, brace means for the standards including horizontal bracestrips connecting the lower ends of the standards, an eye bolt dependingaxially from the cap piece, a tensioning rod connected to the eye bolt,a binding post on the tensioning rod, anchoring means insulativelyconnected with the lower end of the rod for securing the lower end ofthe rod axially of the frame, and

brace wires connected between the eye bolt and each of said horizontalbrace strips and arranged in right angular relation.

5. The combination with a mast or tower type antenna and foundations atthe comers of the base thereof, of insulators interposed between thetower and the foundations adapted to take the load thereof, saidinsulators providing freedom of movement of the tower at the corners,and means to anchor said tower to resist tipping thereof, said meansbeing insulated from ground and acting along the vertical axis of thetower.

6. The combination with a mast or tower type antenna and foundations atthe corners of the 1 base thereof, of insulators interposed between themast type, a relatively slender vertical tower having a plurality ofdiverging legs, insulator supports under each leg of the tower, therebeing a connection between the supports and the tower such that theremay be relative movement between them so as to avoid loading thesupports in tension, a tension member disposed wholly within and carriedby the tower, and means coupled to said tension memberand ground foranchoring the tower to resist tipping thereof about its insulatorsupports, there being means to insulate the -3E5 tower from groundthrough a path including said tension member and coupling means.

8. An antenna of the self-supporting vertical mast type comprising atower structure having legs formed as an integral part of suchstructure,

an insulator support for each such leg, a central hold down devicesecured to said structure adjacent the top thereof and extendingdownwardly within said structure, anchoring means for said hold downdevice, and an insulator between said hold down device and saidanchoring means.

, 9. A mast type antenna, comprising a built-up frame structureconsisting of upwardly converging standards and cross braces, allelectrically connected, an adjustable leg associated with each suchstandard, an insulator support for each such leg, a single hold downdevice for such structure secured thereto intermediate said standards,an anchoring means for said hold down device and a strain insulatorbetween said anchoring means and said hold down device.

10. A mast type antenna comprising a frame structure including aplurality of standards and cross braces mechanically and electricallyconnected together, an insulating foot for each standsuch standard, aninsulator support for each such' foot, means for adjusting the height ofsaid structure above said insulator supports a hold down device locatedintermediate standards of such structure and secured to said structure,an

anchoring means for said hold down device and a strain insulator betweensaid anchoring means and said hold down device.

12. A mast type antenna, comprising a built-up frame structure includingvertically extending, upwardly converging standards and cross bracing,all mechanically and electrically connected together, a foot associatedwith each such standard, an insulator support for each such foot, ananchoring means located intermediate said insulator supports, anadjustable hold down device secured to said anchoring means and saidframe structure, an insulator constituting a part of said hold downdevice and means for adjusting the height of said antenna above saidinsulator supports.

13. The combination with a mast or tower type antenna adapted to alonefunction as a vertical conductor and foundations at the corners of thebase thereof, of load supporting insulators interposed between the towerand foundations and adapted to provide freedom of movement of the towerat its corners and means secured to a portion of the antenna includedbetween the corners thereof and insulated from ground and forming asubstantially wholly ver- 1 tically acting couple with said comers toresist overturning of the tower.

14. A mast type antenna, comprising a metallic frame structure embodyingcomer standards and cross members connected electrically andmechanically to function effectually as a vertical conductor, separateinsulating means su porting each of said standards and each standardwith its insulating means forming a single capacitative impedance pathto ground, substantially 11.

wholly vertically acting hold down means secured to a portion of theframe structure included between standards thereof, anchoring means forsaid hold down means, and a strain insulator forming a part of said holddown means.

15. An antenna structure comprising a vertical relatively slendermulti-sided mast built up of metallic comer standards and cross membersall electrically and mechanically connected together and adapted tofunction effectually as a vertical conductor, foundations for thestructure, symmetrically spaced insulators interposed between cornerstandards and said foundations and adapted to carry the load of thestructure and provide relative freedom of movement of the mast 1 at itscorners, means symmetrically disposed with respect to sides of .the mastand secured to a portion of the mast included between corner standardsthereof for exerting substantially wholly vertical hold down forces onthe mwt to prevent overturning thereof, and means for insulating themast from ground through the path provided by said hold downmeans.

16. An antenna of the self-supporting vertical ill mast type designed tofunction efiectually as a lbw vertical conductor, comprising a metallicframe structure having comer standards and connecting cross members,foundations under the corner standards, insulating means interposedbetween the corner standards and foundations and 14d adapted to take theload of the tower and provide freedom of movement of the tower at itscorners, substantially wholly vertically acting hold down means securedto a portion of the mast formed by cross members connecting the 1 cornerstandards of the tower to anchor said tower to resist tipping and astrain insulator for insulating said hold down means from ground.

17. The combination with a mast or tower type antenna and foundationsat. the corners of the ically and electrically connected standards and,

cross members, an insulating support for each such standard, eachstandard with its insulating support forming but a single capacitativeimpedance path to ground, a single axially positioned anchoring deviceforsaid frame structure, a hold down device secured to said anchoringdevice and to said frame structure, and an insulator forming a part ofsaid hold down device.

19. A mast type antenna, comprising a builtup frame structure includingstandards and cross braces, all electrically andmechanically connectedtogether, an insulating support for each standard, each standard withits insulating support forming but a single capacitative impedance pathto ground, a single hold down device secured to said structure near thetop thereof and located intermediate said standards, anchoring means forsaid hold down device and an insulator included in said hold down devicebetween said frame structure and said anchoring means.

20. The combination with a mast or tower type antenna and foundations atthe corners of the base thereof, of insulators interposed between thetower and the foundations, adapted to take the tower load and providefreedom of movement of the tower at the corners, and means insulatedfrom ground and located wholly within the tower for resisting tippingthereof.

STANLEY CHARLES HAYNES.

